Virginia Katz

land current

These three-dimensional paintings were inspired by the debossed texture of my two-dimensional topographs-on-panel and address our physical connection with and dependency on the landscape. Using only thick, acrylic paint, I built up these inches-thick, landscape paintings to emphasize the physicality of our world and to bring three-dimensional landscape painting into the tradition of what has been a two-dimensional painting practice. I form paint, peel it, cut it, sand it, layer it, and construct the works – all of paint. They are presented on the wall and on pedestals. The paintings address and equate natural disaster and climate crisis to personal upheaval. Landscape is a metaphor for the body.

Scorched Earth

Acrylic Paint Formed, Peeled, Cut and Sanded on Panel with Garnet, Topaz and Amethyst
20" x 16" x 4", 2018

Scorched Earth - detail -

Entanglement

Acrylic Paint Formed, Peeled, Cut and Sanded on Panel with Aquamarine, Citrine, Uncut and Cut Diamonds,
Black Tourmaline, Rutilated Quartz and Malachite
20" x 16" x 4", 2017

Entanglement - detail -

Recomposition

Acrylic Paint Formed, Torn, Cut and Sanded on Panel with Topaz, Amethyst, Ametrine and Quartz Crystals

20" x 16" x 5", 2017

Recomposition - detail -

Flesh of Our Flesh

Acrylic on Panel
20” x 16” x 4.5”, 2015

Flesh of Our Flesh

Debris Field

Acrylic Paint Formed, Peeled, Cut and Sanded on Panel
16” x 12” x 4”, 2017

Debris Field - detail -

Dry Bed

Acrylic on Panel
20” x 16” x 4”, 2015

Dry Bed - detail -

Breakdown, two views

Acrylic Paint Formed, Peeled, Cut and Sanded on Panel
72” x 52” x 6”, 2015

Breakdown - detail -

Surge

Acrylic on Panel
16” x 12” x 3", 2013

Surge - detail -

Particulate – 405 Fwy

Acrylic on Panel
16” x 12” x 3", 2013

Particulate – 405 Fwy - detail -

Drifter

Acrylic Paint Formed, Peeled, Cut and Sanded on Panel
10” x 8” x 3", 2010

Studio View

Acrylic Paint Formed, Peeled, Cut and Sanded

Installation View

These textural, topographical works-on-paper were inspired by the Place series when I began viewing satellite imagery on a regular basis in 2006. The series is ongoing. The works are the result of multiple layers of mixed media and mixed processes on paper. Beginning as monoprints, they then were printed onto a collograph and the process continued with stages of drawing and painting to create one-of-a-kind prints of imagined lands. These familiar places are the source of our shared nature. I think of the surface of the land as akin to, or anthropomorphized as, a human skin. Natural materials, such as leaves, vines, tree bark, and soil were incorporated into the transfers to form debossed, textural patterns of time-based, proto-topographical land forms.